Britain was once home to the motorcycle. From the early 20th century through to the 1960s, a number of pioneering names helped the UK dominate the global industry. BSA made its own in Birmingham, in the same factory it made its rifles; Brough Superior hand-built its bikes in Nottingham; Royal Enfield had its factory in Redditch. Triumph and Norton were made in Coventry and Birmingham respectively. Today Britain’s motorcycle industry looks very different, and many of the old names have gone. Where, then, are the finest motorbikes still made in the UK? They might be found in Wigan.
Langen, founded by engineer Christofer Ratcliffe in 2018, is based out of an unassuming small unit in an industrial estate in Greater Manchester. Inside, a small team develops and hand-assembles every one of its made-to-order bikes. If the engines and forks are outsourced, everything else, from the frame and foot pegs to the switch gear, is developed and produced in the UK. The company’s first creation was the Two Stroke, a lightweight naked with a powerful, 76hp 250cc V-twin two-stroke engine. Reminiscent of an old race bike, it was a bold choice to launch with – but that was entirely the point.
Two Stroke bikes in the Langen workshop
